Over-current protection device for expansion cards

ABSTRACT

An over-current protection device is provided. A first end of a first resistor is coupled to a voltage input terminal and a second end of the first resistor is coupled to a control terminal of an electronic switch. A detecting pin of a control chip is coupled to the second end of the first resistor and an input pin of the control chip is coupled to the first end of the first resistor. A control pin of the control chip is coupled to a control terminal of the electronic switch. The voltage output terminal is coupled to a first terminal of the electronic switch. The control chip compares a preset current value saved therein with a detecting current passing through the first resistor. If the detecting current is greater than the preset current value, there is no voltage output from the voltage output terminal.

FIELD

The present disclosure relates to an over-current protection device foran expansion card.

BACKGROUND

Expansion cards are coupled to a motherboard to add to or enhancefunctionality of the electronic device configured with the expansioncards and the motherboard. The expansion cards need to be powered by themotherboard or a power supply unit (PSU) of the motherboard. When overcurrents or short circuits occur in the expansion cards, the motherboardcan be damaged.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Many aspects of the present embodiments can be better understood withreference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings arenot necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed uponclearly illustrating the principles of the present embodiments.Moreover, in the drawings, all the views are schematic, and likereference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the severalviews.

The FIGURE is a circuit diagram of an embodiment of an over-currentprotection device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The disclosure, including the accompanying drawings, is illustrated byway of example and not by way of limitation. It should be noted thatreferences to “an” or “one” embodiment in this disclosure are notnecessarily to the same embodiment, and such references mean “at leastone.”

FIG. 1 illustrates an over-current protection device for an expansioncard (not shown). The protection device includes a power supply circuit10 for powering the expansion card, and a detection circuit 20.

The power supply circuit 10 includes resistors R1 and R2, transistors Q1and Q2, an inverter U. In the embodiment, the transistors Q1 and Q2 canbe electronic switches and are n-channel Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor FieldEffect Transistors (MOSFETs). Sources of the transistor Q1 and Q2 arecoupled to a voltage input terminal V1. A drain of transistor Q1 iscoupled to a pin VIN_MB receiving power from a motherboard. A drain oftransistor Q2 is coupled to a pin VIN_PSU receiving power from a powersupply unit (PSU). A gate of transistor Q1 is coupled to an input of theinverter U1. A gate of transistor Q2 is coupled to an output of theinverter U1. The resistor R1 is coupled between the pin VIN_MB and theoutput of the inverter U1. The resistor R2 is coupled between the pinVIN_PSU and the input terminal of the inverter U1.

In the embodiment, the expansion card is powered in a dual power supplymode, that is, powered by the motherboard and the PSU of themotherboard.

When the expansion card is powered by the motherboard, the pin VIN_MBreceive a logic 1 signal and the transistor Q1 is turned on; the pinVIN_PSU receives logic 0 signal and the transistor Q2 is turned off. Themotherboard provides a power to voltage input terminal through the pinVIN_MB and the transistor Q1.

When the expansion card is powered by the PSU, the pin VIN_PSU receivesa logic 1 signal and the transistor Q2 is turned on. The input of theinverter U1 receives a logic 1 signal and the output of the inverter U1outputs a logic 0 level signal, the transistor Q1 is turned off. The PSUprovides a power to voltage input terminal through the pin VIN_PSU andthe transistor Q2.

In another embodiment, the expansion card can be powered in a singlepower supply mode, that is, powered by the motherboard or the PSU of themotherboard. The power supply circuit 10 can be omitted and the voltageinput terminal can be directly coupled to the motherboard or the PSU.

The detection circuit 20 includes capacitors C1, C2, C3, C4 and C5,resistors R3, R4, R5, R6, R7, R8, R9 and R10, a control chip U2, atransistor Q3. In the embodiment, the transistors Q3 can be anelectronic switch and an n-channel MOSFET. The resistor R3 includes afirst end coupled to the voltage input terminal V1 and a second endcoupled to a gate of the transistor Q3. The capacitors C1 and C2 arecoupled in parallel between the first end of the resistor R3 and ground.The resistors R4, R5, and R6 are coupled in series between the first endof the resistor R3 and ground. A source of the transistor Q3 is coupledto the second end of the resistor R3. A drain of the transistor Q3 iscoupled to a voltage output terminal Vout. The drain of the transistorQ3 is grounded through the capacitor C4. A detecting pin SENCE of thecontrol chip U2 is coupled to the second end of the resistor R3. Aninput pin VIN of the control chip U2 is coupled to the first end of theresistor R3. A node between the resistor R4 and R5 is coupled to aninput/output pin UVLO of the control chip U2. A node between theresistor R5 and R6 is coupled to an input/output pin OVLO of the controlchip U2. A ground pin GND of the control chip U2 is grounded. A gate ofthe transistor Q3 is coupled to a control pin GATE of the control chipU2 through the resistor R8. The control pin GATE is grounded through thecapacitor C5 and the resistor R10 coupled in series. An output pin OUTof the control chip U2 is coupled to the voltage output terminal VOUT.The voltage output terminal VOUT is also coupled to an input/output pinPGD of the control chip U2 through the resistor R9. An input/output pinPWR is grounded through the resistor R7. A clock pin TIMER of thecontrol chip U2 is grounded through the capacitor C3.

The detecting pin SENSE and the input pin VIN detect a current passingthrough the resistor R3. The control chip U2 compares a preset currentvalue saved therein with the detecting current value. The preset currentvalue can be adjusted by selecting the resistor 10 with a correspondingresistance.

If the detecting current value is less than the preset current value, alogic 1 signal is output from the control pin GATE of the control chipU2 to the gate of the transistor Q3. The transistor Q3 is turned on, thepower of the voltage input terminal V1 is output to the voltage outputterminal Vout through the resistor R3 and the transistor Q3, forpowering the expansion card.

If the detecting current value is greater than or equal to the presetcurrent value, a logic 0 signal is output from the control pin GATE ofthe control chip U2 to the gate of the transistor Q3. The transistor Q3is turned off, no power is output to the voltage output terminal Vout,for protecting the expansion card and the motherboard from damage.

Even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the embodimentshave been set forth in the foregoing description, together with detailsof the structure and the functions of the embodiments, the disclosure isillustrative only, and changes may be made in details, especially in thematters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principlesof the embodiments to the full extent indicated by the broad generalmeaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.

What is claimed is:
 1. An over-current protection device, comprising: avoltage input terminal; a voltage output terminal; a first resistor witha first end coupled to the voltage input terminal; a second resistor; afirst electronic switch comprising a control terminal, a first terminalcoupled to the voltage output terminal, and a second terminal coupled toa second end of the first resistor; and a control chip comprising acontrol pin coupled to the control terminal of the electronic switch andgrounded through the second resistor, an input pin coupled the first endof the first resistor, a detecting pin coupled to the second end of thefirst resistor; wherein the control chip compares a preset current valuesaved therein with a detecting current passing through the firstresistor, and when the detecting current is greater than or equal to thepreset current value, the electronic switch is turned off and no voltageis output from the voltage output terminal.
 2. The protection device ofclaim 1, wherein the electronic switch is an N channel MOSFET, thecontrol terminal, the first terminal, and the second terminal are gate,drain, and source of the electronic switch.
 3. The protection device ofclaim 2, further comprising third, fourth, and fifth resistors coupledin series between a first end of the first transistor and ground,wherein a node between the third resistor and the fourth resistor iscoupled to a first input/output terminal of the control chip, a nodebetween the fourth resistor and the fifth resistor is coupled to asecond input/output terminal of the control chip.
 4. The protectiondevice of claim 3, wherein a sixth resistor is coupled between thecontrol terminal of the electronic switch and the control pin of thecontrol chip.
 5. The protection device of claim 4, wherein a seventhresistor is coupled between the voltage output terminal and a thirdinput/output pin of the control chip.
 6. The protection device of claim1, wherein an output pin of the control chip is coupled to the voltageoutput terminal.